Business notes

• The 2014 Apple Harvest Festival, held Oct. 18 in Waynesville, was a tremendous success. The estimated attendance was 50,000-plus festivalgoers. Planning is underway for the 2015 event.

• Hunter Banks Co. has been fly fishing the South since 1985. The store, specializing in fishing apparel and gifts, has opened a new location at 48 N. Main St. in Waynesville. 828.251.9721.

• Students in Western Carolina University’s master’s degree program in business administration recently created export business plans for six North Carolina companies. The reports were for companies such as Equilibar, based in Fletcher, and Microbroo, which is located in Asheville.

• Rita Willis was recently named branch manager for Champion Credit Union’s Arden office. Willis has over twenty years of experience in the financial industry.

• Eric’s Fish Market, which has been operating in downtown Sylva since 2008, recently opened a new location in Waynesville. The new fish market is located on Depot Street, just below the historic courthouse.

• In her first year as director of Southwestern Community College’s Small Business Center, Tiffany Henry more than doubled the number of free services available for aspiring and existing entrepreneurs. Henry seeks out new seminar topics that will benefit entrepreneurs throughout Jackson, Macon, and Swain counties as well as the Qualla Boundary.

• Highlands Dermatology, which has served Macon County from its office in Highlands for the past decade, recently opened a location in Franklin. The new office of is located at 118 Holly Springs Park Drive.

• Champion Credit Union recently participated in a CU Lunch Local event in Canton. The CU event, held Oct. 14, is part of a larger nationwide cash mob event.

• The Haywood Tourism Development Authority, along with Blue Ridge National Heritage Area, invites the public to a workshop titled “Servicing the Group Tour Market: Parking, Pricing, Potties and More!” from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Nov. 13. The workshop will be held at the Colonial Theater Annex in Canton. 828.298.5330.

• Kimberly (“Kim”) Carpenter has joined the law office of Earwood & Moore in Sylva. For the past eighteen years, Kim has practiced law with the local firm of Melrose, Seago & Lay, PA and had been a partner since 1998.

• The Small Business Center of Haywood Community College will offer a seminar, “Modern Tourism Drivers: Authenticity, Community & Sustainability,” Thursday, Nov. 6, from 6 to 9 p.m. in the Haywood Community College Creative Arts Building. Free. To register, call 828.627.4606.

• The Cashiers Area Chamber of Commerce is currently accepting nominations for its 2014 Volunteer, Educator, Business Person, Citizen of the Year and the Evergreen Award. Nominees must be submitted to the chamber by Oct. 31, with winners announced during the chamber’s Nov. 13 meeting.

• Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort will recognize U.S. military veterans on Tuesday, Nov. 11 with a free meal at Chefs Stage Buffet. The meal is offered from noon until 10 p.m.

• Otto resident Amy Poirier recently won a free laptop, the grand prize for Southwestern Community College’s seminar series focused on preparing students for a job search. The Dell Inspiron 15 was donated by Drake Enterprises.

The Naturalist's Corner

I had originally intended to spend today (Monday, Feb. 16) doing a couple of short surveys for the annual Great Backyard Bird Count. But Sunday morning amid more and more (and more and more dire) weather forecasts warning of some pretty heavy winter weather coming our way I began to contemplate counting Sunday instead. Around 9 a.m. Sunday I peeked out the downstairs window. Well, in my yard were 17 wild turkeys. It looked like a large group of jakes and gobblers.